Framingham's New England Compounding Center linked to 39 deaths

As Gov. Deval Patrick asks for more oversight of compounding pharmacies, New England Compounding Center, the local company linked to a nationwide meningitis outbreak blamed in the deaths of 39 people and hundreds of illnesses, is pointing the finger of blame at its cleaning contractor.

"Our regulations and governing authority has not kept up with an industry that's changed. It's not the neighborhood pharmacy anymore," Patrick said Friday. "And we've seen that with NECC, businesses that call themselves pharmacies, but they are really manufacturing operations. We need a pharmacy board that has the authority to regulate that."

The Boston Globe reports that attorneys for NECC sent a letter to UniFirst Corp. demanding that it take legal responsibility for claims against the pharmacy.

UniFirst acknowledged that a subsidiary helped clean portions of the pharmacy's cleanroom facility in Framingham, but maintained its cleaning services were limited and it was not responsible for the contaminated drugs. A spokesman called the claims "unfounded and without merit."

Federal investigators found widespread evidence of mold and other contamination when they visited the pharmacy in October.

UniFirst received the letter last week but disclosed it in a filing Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.